Systems and Methods for Wireless Communication Using Control and User Plane Separation in a Virtualized Radio Base Stations Network

Abstract

Systems and methods for wireless communications with control and user plane separation includes radio units. The radio units include a central unit (CU) which includes a central unit user plane (CU-UP) located in at least one of the radio units. The central unit user plane (CU-UP) includes a first Packet Data Convergence Protocol (PDCP) layer and a Service Data Adaptation Protocol (SDAP) layer connected to the first Packet Data Convergence Protocol (PDCP) layer. The central unit (CU) also includes a central unit control plane (CU-CP) located remotely from the central unit user plane (CU-UP). The central unit control plane (CU-CP) includes a second Packet Data Convergence Protocol (PDCP) layer and a Radio Resource Control (RRC) layer connected to the second Packet Data Convergence Protocol (PDCP) layer. The central unit user plane (CU-UP) and the central unit control plane (CU-CP) are virtualized and shared by the radio units.

1 . A virtualized radio base station node, comprising:
 a plurality of radio units comprising:   a central unit (CU) comprising:   a central unit user plane (CU-UP) located in at least one of the radio units, the central unit user plane (CU-UP) including a first Packet Data Convergence Protocol (PDCP) layer and a Service Data Adaptation Protocol (SDAP) layer connected to the first Packet Data Convergence Protocol (PDCP) layer; and   a central unit control plane (CU-CP) located remotely from the central unit user plane (CU-UP), the central unit control plane (CU-CP) including a second Packet Data Convergence Protocol (PDCP) layer and a Radio Resource Control (RRC) layer connected to the second Packet Data Convergence Protocol (PDCP) layer,   wherein the central unit user plane (CU-UP) and the central unit control plane (CU-CP) communicate with each other via an interface protocol, and wherein the central unit user plane (CU-UP) and the central unit control plane (CU-CP) are virtualized and shared by the plurality of radio units.   
     
     
         2 . The virtualized base station node of  claim 1 , wherein the central unit user plane (CU-UP) and the central unit control plane (CU-CP) communicate with each other via an E1 interface protocol. 
     
     
         3 . The virtualized base station node of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a remote radio head including a lower physical layer (PHY-Low), an analog-to-digital converter (ADC), a digital-to-analog converter (DAC), MIMO antenna arrays, and a radio frequency (RF) transceiver; and   a distributed unit connected to the remote radio head, the distributed unit including a Radio Link Control (RLC) layer, a Medium Access Control (MAC) layer, and a higher physical (PHY-high) layer,   wherein the remote radio head, the distributed unit and the central unit user plane (CU-UP) are integrated into the radio units, and wherein the central unit control plane (CU-CP) is located remotely from the remote radio head and the distributed unit.   
     
     
         4 . The virtualized base station node of  claim 1 , wherein the radio base station node is a 5G NR (New Radio) base station Node B (gNodeB). 
     
     
         5 . The virtualized base station node of  claim 1 , wherein the distributed unit is a gNodeB distributed unit (gNB-DU). 
     
     
         6 . The virtualized base station node of  claim 1 , wherein the central unit control plane (CU-CP) communicates with the gNB-DU via F1-C(F1 control plane) protocol standardized by 3 GPP. 
     
     
         7 . The virtualized base station node of  claim 1 , wherein a first central unit user plane (CU-UP) communicates with a second central unit user plane (CU-UP) via Xn user plane (Xn-U) protocol standardized by 3GPP. 
     
     
         8 . The virtualized base station node of  claim 1 , further comprising a NG control plane interface (NG-C) between the gNodeB central unit control plane (gNB-CU-CP) and a Core Access and Mobility Management Function (AMF) module in a NG-Core network. 
     
     
         9 . The virtualized base station node of  claim 1 , further comprising a NG user plane (NG-U) interface between the gNodeB central unit user plane (gNB-CU-UP) and an UPF (User Plane Function) module in a NG-Core. 
     
     
         10 . The virtualized base station node of  claim 1 , further comprising an F1 user plane (F1-U) interface between the gNB-CU-UP and the gNB-DU. 
     
     
         11 . The virtualized base station node of  claim 1 , further comprising an Xn user plane (Xn-U) interface between the gNB-CU-UP of one gNode B and the gNB-CU-UP of another gNodeB. 
     
     
         12 . The virtualized base station node of  claim 1 , wherein the virtualized radio base station node is connected to a 4G LTE radio base station enhanced Node B (LTE eNB), and wherein the virtualized radio base station node communicates with the 4G LTE eNB using a X2-U (X2 user-plane) protocol standardized by 3GPP. 
     
     
         13 . The virtualized base station node of  claim 1 , wherein the radio base station node is connected to a 4G LTE Evolved Packet Core (EPC), and wherein the virtualized radio base station node communicates with the 4G LTE Evolved Packet Core (EPC) using a S1-U protocol standardized by 3GPP. 
     
     
         14 . The virtualized base station network of  claim 1 , wherein the central unit user plane (CU-UP) including the first Packet Data Convergence Protocol (PDCP) layer and the Service Data Adaptation Protocol (SDAP) layer are implemented as one or more virtual machines. 
     
     
         15 . The virtualized base station network of  claim 1 , wherein the central unit control plane (CU-CP) including the second Packet Data Convergence Protocol (PDCP) layer and the Radio Resource Control (RRC) layer are implemented as one or more virtual machines. 
     
     
         16 . The virtualized base station network of  claim 1 , wherein the central unit user plane (CU-UP) including the first Packet Data Convergence Protocol (PDCP) layer and the Service Data Adaptation Protocol (SDAP) layer are implemented as one or more containers. 
     
     
         17 . The virtualized base station network of  claim 1 , wherein the central unit control plane (CU-CP) including the second Packet Data Convergence Protocol (PDCP) layer and the Radio Resource Control (RRC) layer are implemented as one or more containers. 
     
     
         18 . A virtualized radio base station node, comprising:
 a plurality of radio units comprising:   a remote radio head including a lower physical layer (PHY-Low), an analog-to-digital converter (ADC), a digital-to-analog converter (DAC), MIMO antenna arrays, and a radio frequency (RF) transceiver;   a distributed unit connected to the remote radio head, the distributed unit including a Radio Link Control (RLC) layer, a Medium Access Control (MAC) layer, and a higher physical (PHY-high) layer; and   a central unit (CU) connected to the distributed unit, the central unit comprising a central unit user plane (CU-UP) and a central unit control plane (CU-CP), wherein the central unit user plane (CU-UP) includes a first Packet Data Convergence Protocol (PDCP) layer and a Service Data Adaptation Protocol (SDAP) layer, and wherein the central unit control plane (CU-CP) includes a second Packet Data Convergence Protocol (PDCP) layer and a Radio Resource Control (RRC) layer,   wherein the remote radio head (RRH), the distributed unit (DU), and the central unit user plane (CU-UP) are located in at least one of the radio units, and wherein the central unit control plane (CU-CP) is physically separated from the central unit user plane (CU-UP) and is located remotely from the central unit user plane (CU-CP), and wherein the central unit user plane (CU-UP) and the central unit control plane (CU-CP) communicate with each other via an interface protocol, and wherein the remote radio head, the distributed unit and the central unit are virtualized and shared by the plurality of radio units.   
     
     
         19 . The virtualized base station node of  claim 18 , wherein the central unit user plane (CU-UP) and the central unit control plane (CU-CP) communicate with each other via an E1 interface protocol. 
     
     
         20 . The virtualized base station node of  claim 18 , wherein the radio base station node is a 5G NR (New Radio) base station NodeB (gNB). 
     
     
         21 . The virtualized base station node of  claim 18 , wherein the distributed unit is a gNodeB distributed unit (gNB-DU). 
     
     
         22 . The virtualized base station node of  claim 18 , wherein the central unit control plane (CU-CP) communicates with the gNB-DU via F1-C(F1 control plane) protocol standardized by 3GPP. 
     
     
         23 . The virtualized base station node of  claim 18 , wherein a first central unit user plane (CU-UP) communicates with a second central unit user plane (CU-UP) via Xn user plane (Xn-U) protocol standardized by 3GPP. 
     
     
         24 . The virtualized base station node of  claim 18 , further comprising a NG control plane interface (NG-C) between the gNodeB central unit control plane (gNB-CU-CP) and a Core Access and Mobility Management Function (AMF) module in a NG-Core network. 
     
     
         25 . The virtualized base station node of  claim 18 , further comprising a NG user plane (NG-U) interface between the gNB-CU-UP and an UPF (User Plane Function) module in a NG-Core network. 
     
     
         26 . The virtualized base station node of  claim 18 , further comprising an F1 user plane (F1-U) interface between the gNB-CU-UP and the gNB-DU. 
     
     
         27 . The virtualized base station node of  claim 18 , further comprising an Xn user plane (Xn-U) interface between the gNB-CU-UP of one gNode B and the gNB-CU-UP of another gNodeB. 
     
     
         28 . The virtualized base station node of  claim 18 , wherein the virtualized radio base station node is connected to a 4G LTE radio base station enhanced Node B (LTE eNB), and wherein the virtualized radio base station node communicates with the 4G LTE eNB using a X2-U (X2 user-plane) protocol standardized by 3GPP. 
     
     
         29 . The virtualized base station node of  claim 18 , wherein the radio base station node is connected to a 4G LTE Evolved Packet Core (EPC), and wherein the virtualized radio base station node communicates with the 4G LTE Evolved Packet Core (EPC) using a S1-U protocol standardized by 3GPP. 
     
     
         30 . The virtualized base station network of  claim 18 , wherein the central unit user plane (CU-UP) including the first Packet Data Convergence Protocol (PDCP) layer and the Service Data Adaptation Protocol (SDAP) layer are implemented as one or more virtual machines. 
     
     
         31 . The virtualized base station network of  claim 18 , wherein the central unit control plane (CU-CP) including the second Packet Data Convergence Protocol (PDCP) layer and the Radio Resource Control (RRC) layer are implemented as one or more virtual machines. 
     
     
         32 . The virtualized base station network of  claim 18 , wherein the central unit user plane (CU-UP) including the first Packet Data Convergence Protocol (PDCP) layer and the Service Data Adaptation Protocol (SDAP) layer are implemented as one or more containers. 
     
     
         33 . The virtualized base station network of  claim 18 , wherein the central unit control plane (CU-CP) including the second Packet Data Convergence Protocol (PDCP) layer and the Radio Resource Control (RRC) layer are implemented as one or more containers. 
     
     
         34 . A virtualized radio base station node, comprising:
 a plurality of radio units comprising:   a central unit (CU) comprising:   a central unit user plane (CU-UP) located in at least one of the radio units, the central unit user plane (CU-UP) including a first Packet Data Convergence Protocol (PDCP) layer and a Service Data Adaptation Protocol (SDAP) layer connected to the first Packet Data Convergence Protocol (PDCP) layer; and   a central unit control plane (CU-CP) located remotely from the central unit user plane (CU-UP), the central unit control plane (CU-CP) including a second Packet Data Convergence Protocol (PDCP) layer and a Radio Resource Control (RRC) layer connected to the second Packet Data Convergence Protocol (PDCP) layer,   a user plane function (UPF) of a 5G Next Generation Packet Core (NG-Core) connected to the central unit user plane (CU-UP),   wherein the central unit user plane (CU-UP) and the central unit control plane (CU-CP) communicate with each other via an interface protocol, and wherein the central unit user plane (CU-UP), the central unit control plane (CU-CP) and the user plane function (UPF) of the 5G next Generation Packet Core (NG-Core) are virtualized and shared by the plurality of radio units.   
     
     
         35 . The virtualized base station node of  claim 34 , wherein the user plane function (UPF) of a 5G Next Generation Packet Core (NG-Core) is integrated in the base station node. 
     
     
         36 . The virtualized base station node of  claim 34 , wherein the user plane function (UPF) of a 5G Next Generation Packet Core (NG-Core) is implemented as one or more virtual machines. 
     
     
         37 . The virtualized base station network of  claim 34 , wherein the central unit user plane (CU-UP) including the first Packet Data Convergence Protocol (PDCP) layer and the Service Data Adaptation Protocol (SDAP) layer are implemented as one or more virtual machines. 
     
     
         38 . The virtualized base station network of  claim 34 , wherein the central unit control plane (CU-CP) including the second Packet Data Convergence Protocol (PDCP) layer and the Radio Resource Control (RRC) layer are implemented as one or more virtual machines. 
     
     
         39 . A method for wireless communication, comprising:
 receiving a first uplink signal at a first virtualized radio unit;   receiving a second uplink signal at a second virtualized radio unit,   wherein the first and second uplink signals are processed by one or more virtual machines shared by both the first and second radio units, and   wherein a first virtual machine implements at least one of a central unit user plane (CU-UP) located in at least one of the radio units, the central unit user plane (CU-UP) including a first Packet Data Convergence Protocol (PDCP) layer and a Service Data Adaptation Protocol (SDAP) layer connected to the first Packet Data Convergence Protocol (PDCP) layer, and   wherein a second virtual machine implements at least one of a central unit control plane (CU-CP) located remotely from the central unit user plane (CU-UP), the central unit control plane (CU-CP) including a second Packet Data Convergence Protocol (PDCP) layer and a Radio Resource Control (RRC) layer connected to the second Packet Data Convergence Protocol (PDCP) layer.   
     
     
         40 . The method of  claim 39 , wherein a third virtual machine implements at least one of a user plane function (UPF) of a 5G Next Generation Packet Core (NG-Core) connected to the central unit user plane (CU-UP). 
     
     
         41 . The method of  claim 39 , wherein the first and second uplink signals are transmitted by a user equipment (UE), and wherein the UE switches connection from the first virtualized radio unit to the second virtualized radio unit without a transfer of context information from the first virtualized radio unit to the second virtualized radio unit. 
     
     
         42 . The method of  claim 39 , wherein the first and second virtualized radio units are located in a same radio base station node. 
     
     
         43 . The method of  claim 39 , wherein the first and second virtualized radio units are located in different radio base station nodes. 
     
     
         44 . A method for wireless communication, comprising:
 transmitting a first downlink signal by a first virtualized radio unit;   transmitting a second downlink signal by a second virtualized radio unit,   wherein prior to transmission the first and second downlink signals are processed by one or more virtual machines shared by both the first and second radio units, and   wherein a first virtual machine implements at least one of a central unit user plane (CU-UP) located in at least one of the radio units, the central unit user plane (CU-UP) including a first Packet Data Convergence Protocol (PDCP) layer and a Service Data Adaptation Protocol (SDAP) layer connected to the first Packet Data Convergence Protocol (PDCP) layer, and   wherein a second virtual machine implements at least one of a central unit control plane (CU-CP) located remotely from the central unit user plane (CU-UP), the central unit control plane (CU-CP) including a second Packet Data Convergence Protocol (PDCP) layer and a Radio Resource Control (RRC) layer connected to the second Packet Data Convergence Protocol (PDCP) layer.   
     
     
         45 . The method of  claim 44 , wherein a third virtual machine implements at least one of a user plane function (UPF) of a 5G Next Generation Packet Core (NG-Core) connected to the central unit user plane (CU-UP). 
     
     
         46 . The method of  claim 44 , further comprising:
 transmitting, by the first virtualized radio unit, the first downlink signal to a user equipment (UE);   transmitting, by the second virtualized radio unit, the second downlink signal to the UE during a second time interval,   wherein the UE switches connection from the first virtualized radio unit to the second virtualized radio unit without a transfer of context information from the first virtualized radio unit to the second virtualized radio unit.   
     
     
         47 . A non-transitory computer-readable medium having program code recorded thereon, the program code comprising:
 program code to receive a first uplink signal at a first virtualized radio unit;   program code to receive a second uplink signal at a second virtualized radio unit,   wherein the first and second uplink signals are processed by one or more virtual machines having program code shared by both the first and second radio units, and   wherein a first virtual machine having program code implements at least one of a central unit user plane (CU-UP) located in at least one of the radio units, the central unit user plane (CU-UP) including a first Packet Data Convergence Protocol (PDCP) layer and a Service Data Adaptation Protocol (SDAP) layer connected to the first Packet Data Convergence Protocol (PDCP) layer, and   wherein a second virtual machine having program code implements at least one of a central unit control plane (CU-CP) located remotely from the central unit user plane (CU-UP), the central unit control plane (CU-CP) including a second Packet Data Convergence Protocol (PDCP) layer and a Radio Resource Control (RRC) layer connected to the second Packet Data Convergence Protocol (PDCP) layer.   
     
     
         48 . A non-transitory computer-readable medium having program code recorded thereon, the program code comprising:
 program code to receive a first uplink signal at a first virtualized radio unit;   program code to receive a second uplink signal at a second virtualized radio unit,   wherein the first and second uplink signals are processed by one or more virtual machines having program code shared by both the first and second radio units, and   wherein a first virtual machine having program code implements at least one of a central unit user plane (CU-UP) located in at least one of the radio units, the central unit user plane (CU-UP) including a first Packet Data Convergence Protocol (PDCP) layer and a Service Data Adaptation Protocol (SDAP) layer connected to the first Packet Data Convergence Protocol (PDCP) layer, and   wherein a second virtual machine having program code implements at least one of a central unit control plane (CU-CP) located remotely from the central unit user plane (CU-UP), the central unit control plane (CU-CP) including a second Packet Data Convergence Protocol (PDCP) layer and a Radio Resource Control (RRC) layer connected to the second Packet Data Convergence Protocol (PDCP) layer.